My Latest Thoughts And Observations

On some things that I now fully acknowledge.
I acknowledge that I am a human with a pre-destined personality and genetic nature. The way I see and relate with the world is based on this, and I accept that there is little I can actually do to change this.
I acknowledge that I am a human prone to making embarrassing decisions and mistakes – throughout my life – and this is unavoidable as a human. I recognize that I judge myself – and others – based on how I emotionally perceive my past, and my present.
I acknowledge that my past is actually the experience I am having of it now. Memory is a present experience and is inherently prone towards appearing as I am feeling now. Every time I remember the past, I am slightly altering this memory for the future, based on how I’m thinking and feeling now. This is just how the mind works.
I acknowledge that life is lived here in the now. The past is but an arguable perception of things once done, and is never entirely accurate as remembered. And the future is merely a fantasized hope or fear of its coming about. Life is always lived here, present and now.
I acknowledge that I am not actually defined by my past, until I and others choose to remember and define my past. I am here, living in the present. Though subjected to a pre-destined nature, I am capable and destined to change – for this is the nature of the universe. Just being alive, I am no longer the same person that I was a few years ago – it’s just not physiologically possible.

I acknowledge that I am human and, thus, prone towards self-addicting and self-destructive behavior. I choose to be watchful about this, and I will not compound my suffering with anger and regret for addictions I’ve already acquired. There was no guarantee of a “suffering free life” made when I was born, and I do not help me by “hating on me.”
I acknowledge that life did not guarantee I would be smart enough to avoid suffering, mistakes and self-sabotaging tendencies – this guarantee exists for no one. I understand now that we are all struggling to survive life and, hopefully, in some degree of happiness, if in any way possible.
I acknowledge that I made me what I am today, by the choices I made not understanding my nature. I have the power to choose differently now, even when it’s not easy. I can make a better informed choice, and I will survive this, too. I don’t have to repeat my mistakes. I don’t have to listen to the self-created lie.
I acknowledge that I do not fully know, none of us honestly do. But, I can seek awareness now and share what I am learning. I do not need to listen to my self-made demons, or seek fantasized salvation from self-made gods. I can choose to be real and honest with myself, here and now, just as I am experiencing life.
I acknowledge that we humans are the source of our sufferings. Individually and socially. Because, we simply can’t just live and let live, living lives of compassion and attentiveness, without putting some kind of personal drama spin on it. In other words, I acknowledge that our suffering comes from our thinking – and our believing too much in our thinking. When we stop, suffering stops, and this is self-evident to everyone who tries it.

I acknowledge that life is lived but this once. That happiness and suffering are two sides of the same life, both real and revealed in any given moment. I acknowledge that happiness is what we seek for in the midst of the “unfairness” of life. We didn’t make the rules or design the universe, and happiness is found in living of it.
I acknowledge that all we know is life, and the only assurance we have is that life will be as it is and as we try to manipulate it while we have it. I acknowledge that we can be assured that all is peace before we are born and after we’re dead, for pleasure and suffering are the experiences of the living.
I acknowledge that our self-natured purpose is to survive, for as long as is possible, and tailor our needs to meet the needs of others. I acknowledge we each exist for the sake of the whole of our species, to contribute in some meaningful not-so-insignificant way. But, we must decide what that way is, to be not accidental about it. Beyond this we live, for a brief time, because living is what we do as a human.

On if anything exists at all, it is existing here in this present.
If anything exists at all, it is existing here in this present. There is only now. The past is now. The future is now. How do I know this? Anything of the perceived past that still exists in the present, is being carried in the present. Any hopes or anxieties about the future, is being generated in the present. It is our perception of things, by kept records or conjured recollections. If we collectively destroy evidence of the past, it is safe to assume that it is lost to us for good, like it never even existed. Likewise, if we stop fantasizing a future of some sort, we would be left with only the experience of what is now. This is the reality of things that we don?t fully perceive, because we perceive past and future always in our present. Think about this. There is only this now – this ever-changing moment, with all that is existing within it physically and mentally, past-present and future.
It has occurred to me that there is actually a best way to (eventually) die. This best way, is to die peacefully in your sleep. How do I know this? Every night, we (individually, “I” with a name and personality attached) – we, the embodiment of self-consciousness, the virtual construct of our physical body-mind, which is our collective cellular unconsciousness – every night, we die. We cease to be, the moment our brains power down into a deep sleep state. During our sleep, the only time we sort of regain ?self? once more is during our body-mind?s dream states. Then, we disappear again, no longer existent in this energy-based physical world. So, were we to die in our sleep, we would never know it. For we are (though, temporarily, on all other days) already dead to this self-evident world. A world we only perceive of consciously through the construct of ?self? uniquely created within each individual. This constructed “self” of mind is each our virtual representation of our collective cellular demonstrable real self.
The sciences are showing this to be true and, especially, Neuroscience. That even our conscious perception of the world is an illusion, a virtual reality of the unconscious, that is created daily in the mind. Then, we check in on the accuracy to self-evident reality, as needed, to confirm what we need to confirm as perceived through our senses. We, then, adjust our internal perception of the world, our perceived model of reality, to closer match the reality being perceived through our senses.

On the questions we ask ourselves and the purpose of life!
The questions we ask ourselves are very important. Even more important is “what” questions we ask ourselves. I’ve heard it said that “if your intention is wrong or (ideologically) impure” then, despite your good works, they will be corrupted. This is simply not true. More specifically, it is not the way this physical reality works – in real life, not in our perceptions of life within our heads.
The question we need to be asking ourselves is not “who” we are or, even, “how” and “why.” Rather, it is “what” are we doing that needs to be asked. It is not what “motivation” is behind his or her action. Rather, it is, “What (specifically) is this other doing? And what are the results?” For it does not really matter in the universe what our motivation is behind what we are doing, rather only that we are doing – something. For, example, two individuals are both doing good life-benefitting acts of good deeds – acts that are clearly ethical and admiring works, no matter who looks upon it, that better the human condition. Yet, one is doing it for religious altruistic reasons and the other is doing out of narcissistic self-empowerment.
What difference does it really make, the motivation or reason, when both are doing such wonderful good deeds that benefit others? Both are doing good deeds, and should be respected for their obvious accomplishments. For the only difference between them, in reality, is the ideologies we carry about what is a “good” motivation and what is not for doing good deeds.

Purpose, beyond that of a simple biological procreation, is a uniquely human concept. We create our purpose in life. If there is any purpose that stands beyond all others as fundamentally important to our existence, it is the purpose of cultivating loving-kindness within us. No amounts of achievements and social advances that somehow benefit our species can compare to this simple emotionally awakened awareness. Loving-kindness is different from acts of good deeds, for it is rooted in a state of conscious awareness of our human condition. It is the only purpose worthy of all human’s focus, time, and effort to produce in our life. Cultivating loving-kindness changes your fundamental outlook on life, and this informs your choices and actions. It changes you, from deep with inside. Loving-kindness is not “turning the other cheek” when someone does an ethical wrong.
Loving-kindness is being aware of our human condition, and choosing to see oneself and others with compassionate awareness. It is the only purpose or reason for being, outside of the procreative one, that we humans as an entire whole need aspire to – it is this fundamentally life-changing. We do not need religion or rituals or social laws to cultivate loving-kindness. We only need to look honestly, without ideology, at our reality – at our obvious condition as a human species. Then, choose to show genuine compassion to ourselves and to others, to all of life. When we choose as a species to value and cultivate loving-kindness above all else, through an active conscious awareness of our individual and collective human condition, this is when we know peace upon the lands of our world in all our differences. There are no greater virtues than acts of good deeds and cultivating loving-kindness within us.

On some thoughts about addictions and heartless behavior.
Demons are very real, but they are self-made. They are imagined figures that represent real issues of great problem in our lives. The demons that actually exist are unique to the individuals that create them, and only have hold over those who self-created them. It is when we see this creative truth of our minds, it is then that we are able to wrestle with and get control of our individual personal self-created demons. Once we realize that they don’t exist outside of us, that they are our personal creation for ourselves, this is the moment of empowerment. The moment we realize that we created, thus we control or allow ourselves to be controlled by the demons we built up within ourselves. Not artificial demons created by religions to tell us we’re bad if we don’t conform to doctrine. They don’t exist, outside of collective social imagination. Real demons.
The demons that we make within ourselves in ignorance of ourselves and poor choices in our ignorance. Demons such as addiction and undisciplined lust, lack of compassion, ignorance, and willful insensitivity. Demons that we create and, in not understanding this correctly, allow to control us and our behaviors. Even when we loathe and hate what we do! These demons – all demons – are human created and they can be human controlled. How? By not accepting what the demons have to say to us anymore. Resolutely saying, “No, demon. I made you, and now I’m wrestling with you. I do not accept what you have urged me to do. I reject what you have to say, and I refuse.” The answer to demons is to do nothing, or do the opposite each time the demon speaks in our minds, in our bodies. The demon is not real, it is the way we look upon the issue(s) we’ve lost control over. The demon is not real, it is the habitualized makings of repeated choices on our part.

We can choose differently starting today. And we will destroy the demons we create for ourselves, when we are steadfast in our choices. “Shut the f**k up, demon! I made you, and now I will destroy you.” By saying no, and doing differently. By doing nothing, when you urge. And, if that is not enough, then by deliberately doing the opposite. Anything, but what I taught you to want. I do this out of love for myself. For love is shown in the actions we make. Today, I choose, and I choose differently. This moment, I choose, and I now do differently.
In the same likeness, gods and goddesses are real, very real for those who self-make them. They are a personification of what we like about ourselves, what we wish to aspire to. Just as our demons are a personification of what troubles us about our inherent nature, the aspects that hold us back, diminish and embarrass us, and lead often to self-made shortened lives. The gods and goddesses of collective social myth are not real. Rather, just an embodiment of a budding culture’s values and understandings of life. Those change as societies change, and it is foolish to look to them for salvation or answers. But, the demons we make within us, we can directly address – now understanding a bit better. And the gods and goddesses we create for ourselves can help us to achieve this. This is the source for our miracles, achieving things not likely that are in the realm of physical possibility. Sometimes, truly amazing things, when luck and circumstance is on our side while making use of our creative power.
It is good to recognize and engage the real demons in our lives, to claim mastery and power over them. For we made them! It is good to embrace and honor the real gods in our lives. The self-made personalized ones that actually do respond to our thoughts and prayers. For they are us in the action of intentful deliberate change! Except for the few, it rarely seems enough to understand, embrace, and act upon the abstract of reasoning, … without also engaging in and invoking the wholistic aspect of our creative imagination. What is real to us, really is real to us – and it does effect us!
We create our god within our heartfelt emotions.